


Help

by swtalmnd



Series: Tea and Knitting [6]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, M/M, Tea, Writin' Dirty 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2019-04-15
Packaged: 2020-01-13 15:12:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 496
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18471529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swtalmnd/pseuds/swtalmnd
Summary: Most customer service interactions start with an offer of help. Not all of them end well.





	Help

**Author's Note:**

> Another wee prompt ficlet for Writin' Dirty.
> 
> I was at a loss until I thought of Specificity and my inability to leave this AU alone. Tadashi is nb and goes by they/them in this.

"Welcome to Specificity, how may I help you today?" came smoothly out of Tadashi's mouth, a serene smile on their face despite the grumpy man in front of them. They were wearing peacock colors today, teals and purples and greens and just a touch of gold, their hair providing the glossy black.

The customer scowled, belligerently demanding, "Where's the menu?"

"All our brews are custom," said Tadashi. Arthur was watching like a hawk, hands busy making tea while his apprentice handled the till.

"I just want a cup of coffee." As though it was offensive not to have a menu with such a simple item on it.

Tadashi's smile never faltered, at least where Eames could see from his table, anyway. "I'm afraid we only serve teas and herbal tisanes here."

"Look, you fucking useless c-," the man began, and Arthur was over at the counter in a second, hand slamming down hard, meeting his angry gaze.

"You're going to need to leave now, and never come back," said Arthur, his voice low, dangerous. Eames had already parked his knitting, so he didn't slip a stitch at the sudden jolt of arousal he got from seeing this side of his lover. A timer went off, and Tadashi slipped away to attend to it without having to be asked.

Everyone else was holding their breath.

"You haven't got anything I want, anyway," the customer sneered as he about-faced and walked out.

Someone nudged the door so it literally hit him in the arse on the way, and Eames was the first one to start laughing.

Arthur gave them all an amused, quelling look and rolled his eyes. "How can I help you?" he asked, when the next in line dared step up.

A small, fierce-looking woman swathed in jewel-toned silk that rivaled Tadashi for its elegance said politely, "I was told you carry single-origin teas from India?"

Arthur's smile lit up the room. "I do, did you want an Assam, a Darjeeling, or something rarer?"

They stepped to one side to talk, and Tadashi finished up and returned to the till, as calm as though nothing had ever happened. When the line was gone and Arthur had pulled two different teas for his customer, Tadashi came over to him with a sly smile.

"So, I take it that's still a no on doing pour over coffees?" they asked, practically preening.

Arthur chuckled. "Not all coffee drinkers are assholes," he said, "but we don't need the extra business. We've got that chicory maté mix now, too."

Tadashi smirked. "Yes, sensei," he teased.

Eames finally got up, bringing his empty pot over and getting a kiss from Arthur. "Darling, if I wasn't already in love with you," he said.

Arthur chuckled. "Figures you'd find that hot."

"Oh, Arthur, you have no idea," Eames kissed him again and whispered in his ear, "but you'll find out later."

"Go pay for your tea," replied Arthur, but Eames heard what he meant.


End file.
